Balancing Industry and Drug Policy Objectives in the Pharmaceutical Sector: The Case of China

Objectives: This article assessed the balance between industry and drug policy objectives in the pharmaceutical sector in China. Methods: The articles were mainly identified through databases such as Elsevier, Google Scholar, and SpringerLink, among others. Related articles were mainly separated into three categories: studies on drug policies, studies related to China's new health-care reform policy, and studies concerning patent policies. Results: A relatively healthy environment for continuous innovation and drug patent protection in the pharmaceutical industry has been created in China, and the public's drug benefits have also significantly improved. However, the balance between industrial and drug policy objectives in the pharmaceutical sector in China requires additional attention. Discussion and conclusions: The results suggest that the government should pay more attention to incentivizing enterprises' innovation, but the current Essential Medicines System in China has limited innovation. Hence, the mechanism for selecting essential medicines should be reformed, and certain appropriate and reasonably innovative medicines should be included. Additionally, medicine coverage, especially the coverage of essential drugs for primary care should be expanded to improve public health benefits. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical industry should be incorporated into the prospective National Drug Policy to achieve a balance between public benefits and pharmaceutical industry development in the future.